~ I received a copy of this book from the publisher or author to facilitate this review. I received no compensation and opinions are 100% my own. ~
Synopsis (from Amazon): “We got so busy living life that we forgot to live our dreams.”
Danni Lewis has been playing it safe for twenty-six years, but her sheltered existence is making her feel old ahead of time. When a sudden death plunges her into a spiral of grief, she throws caution to the wind and runs away to France in search of a new beginning.
The moment ski instructor Olivier du Pape enters her shattered world she falls hard, in more ways than one. Their mutual desire is as powerful and seductive as the mountains around them. His dark gypsy looks and piercing blue eyes are irresistible.
Only she must resist, because he has a wife – and she’d made a pact to never get involved with a married man. But how do you choose between keeping your word and being true to your soul?
Weak at the Knees is Jo’s debut novel in the new adult, contemporary romance genre – a story about love, loss and relationships, set between London and the heart of the French Alps. Due to descriptive sex scenes, this book is not appropriate for younger readers.
My Review:
One (or more) Sentence Summary: Can I have a sequel? I really enjoyed Weak at the Knees. I was sobbing in the beginning, eagerly anticipating what was to come in the middle and carving more (with a smile on my face) at the end. A really great book!
Favorite Character(s): I don't have a favorite character - I really liked them all. Together they make the book. Amber and Danni's friendship is so real (reminds me of one of mine) and sets the stage for the story. Hugo and Oliver are so different from each other but that makes Weak at the Knees such a great read. Hugo is the reliable, sensible, great future, and no sparks flying guy, where Oliver is the opposite. Oops, let's not forgot Rod....but maybe I should leave it at that, mates! Even non-main characters make the story, Amber's Mom, Danni's parents, new friends in the French Alps. Weak at the Knees does a great job using all the characters and they each have a very different but specific role in the story!
Favorite Character(s): I don't have a favorite character - I really liked them all. Together they make the book. Amber and Danni's friendship is so real (reminds me of one of mine) and sets the stage for the story. Hugo and Oliver are so different from each other but that makes Weak at the Knees such a great read. Hugo is the reliable, sensible, great future, and no sparks flying guy, where Oliver is the opposite. Oops, let's not forgot Rod....but maybe I should leave it at that, mates! Even non-main characters make the story, Amber's Mom, Danni's parents, new friends in the French Alps. Weak at the Knees does a great job using all the characters and they each have a very different but specific role in the story!
Setting: You all know I love books that are take place in London. However, I would say the "guts" of the book take place in the French Alps. I LOVED the setting. I could see myself there (even skiing). I was transported there every time I sat down to read. It was a great trip too!
Fast read/slow read: Very fast. I didn't want to stop reading and was always left wanting more.
Cover: It works for me, oh yeah!
What Others Are Saying: "Moving and bittersweet. A great read." - The Sun
Would I Read Other Books by the Author: Sign me up now! I would love to read any book by Jo. Hey Jo, how do I get a hold of the Diary of a Primary School Mum?
"It's exciting. It's new. It's even steamy......Chemistry is a huge part of this story." -Goodgirlgoneredneck.com
"I loved this book and proudly give it and the author five stars for stepping up to the plate and breaking a few romance writing traditional rules." - Virginia Nelson, Author.
"I found that as soon as I began reading Weak at the Knees, I couldn't put it down. I had to know what happened next. I had to have all the answers." -Redwineandbooks.com
Would I Read Other Books by the Author: Sign me up now! I would love to read any book by Jo. Hey Jo, how do I get a hold of the Diary of a Primary School Mum?
Meet the Author: Jo qualified as a Barrister before moving into journalism, working for the BBC before reporting and presenting for ITV on holiday, consumer and current affairs programmes. She writes for several national newspapers in the UK including the Daily Mail, the Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and the Express and was the anonymous author for the Independent's hit column: Diary of a Primary School Mum. Jo is married with three children and lives in London. Weak at the Knees is her second novel.
Connect: You can connect with Jo online, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
Connect: You can connect with Jo online, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
Purchase it: You can purchase Weak at the Knees online at Amazon for $10.50 (Kindle version $3.75).
TWO Giveaways (US/Canada only):
First Giveaway: I am so excited to be able to offer you a copy of Weak at the Knees (paperback or e-book). Let's make it easy. Leave a comment letting me know if you would rather visit London or the French Alps (make sure to leave your email address so I can contact the winner). Contest ends October 21, 2014 at midnight (EST).
Second Giveaway: There is a tour-wide giveaway (click on giveaway) for a bottle of wine - Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The jpg of the wine is at the end of this email. Here are more details:
TWO Giveaways (US/Canada only):
First Giveaway: I am so excited to be able to offer you a copy of Weak at the Knees (paperback or e-book). Let's make it easy. Leave a comment letting me know if you would rather visit London or the French Alps (make sure to leave your email address so I can contact the winner). Contest ends October 21, 2014 at midnight (EST).
Second Giveaway: There is a tour-wide giveaway (click on giveaway) for a bottle of wine - Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The jpg of the wine is at the end of this email. Here are more details:
This is a tour-wide giveaway for a bottle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape! Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a gloriously rich (and expensive) red wine produced in the Rhone wine region in southeastern France. It is a wine that should be drunk to celebrate a special occasion. It's velvety, full-bodied and divine and features very strongly in Weak at the Knees by Jo Kessel. Must be a resident of the US or Canada and be 21 yrs of age or older to enter. One entry per household. Winner will be randomly selected on Monday, Oct. 26, 2013 and will be notified by email.
TLC Book Tours: Make sure you check out the other reviews on the tour (click on the blog name).
Monday, September 23rd: Truth, Beauty, Freedom, & Books
Wednesday, September 25th: Sara’s Organized Chaos
Friday, September 27th: Mom in Love with Fiction
Monday, September 30th: From the TBR Pile
Wednesday, October 2nd: Good Girl Gone Redneck
Thursday, October 3rd: All Grown Up?
Monday, October 7th: The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader
Wednesday, October 9th: Books a la Mode
Thursday, October 10th: From L.A. to LA
Monday, October 14th: Seaside Book Nook
Wednesday, October 16th: Traveling with T
Thank you so much for having me and my new release Weak at the Knees on your blog today Jilleen. I am so thrilled you liked the book.......Diary of a Primary School Mum was a weekly anonymous (not so anonymous now!) column for the British newspaper - The Independent. It's probably all on-line.........but shush, don't tell anyone it was me............!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this giveaway and great review. I would like to visit the French Alps. Many thanks.Paperback would be great. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeletethanks for the chance to read this novel...I would rather visit London :)
ReplyDeletekarenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com
Since I have already been to the French Alps, I guess I would rather visit London. Thanks for having the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteayancey1974(at)gmail(dot)com
French Alps sounds wonderful to me.
ReplyDeletetraceyj40 (at) sbcglobal.net
Ooh this book sounds wonderful! Thanks for being on the tour.
ReplyDelete